The weblog of Irfan Yusuf, bush lawyer, humorist and award-winning author, once a small-c conservative but now politically left right out. His often irreverent take on things appears in some newspapers in Australia and New Zealand and online. His comic memoir "Once Were Radicals: My Years As A Teenage Islamo-fascist" was published in May 2009 and won the Iremonger Award for Public Issues Writing.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Middle Eastern crime without Muslims

Last night, I received a call from the producer of a Sydney talkback radio show. She asked me if I wanted to make any comment about comments made by one Dr Jamal Rifi which were quoted in the Daily Telegraph.

Dr Rifi is a GP based in Belmore, and was at one stage (and perhaps still is) a Commissioner of the Community Relations Commission. He at one stage was a broadcaster and board member of the Voice of Islam radio station that was at one stage broadcasting from the offices of the Islamic Council of NSW in Chullora.

Dr Rifi allegedly told the DT that the reason Lebanese Australians were reluctant to dob in the perpetrators of much of the Middle Eastern gang violence was because they feared retribution from gangs and did not have any confidence in the police to protect them.

I haven’t read the actual article, which as far as I know was not on the DT website. What I have said above is merely hearsay from the producer of the talkback show mentioned in the first paragraph.

I am always amused by attempts by some elements of Lebanese Christian denominations to paint the problem of crime gangs as one strictly limited to the Lebanese Muslim communities. The same claims are also made by reconstructed Marxists and senile pseudo-conservative monoculturalists whose views were heavily promoted on the op-ed pages of the Australian in the immediate aftermath of the Cronulla riots.

Of course, the fact remains that many of the most notorious Middle Eastern gangsters (both behind bars and outside prison) were and are from Christian denominations. Further, we know that a number of thugs and war criminals associated with the former South Lebanon Army have been granted asylum in Australia, despite their possible involvement in torture and other crimes against humanity.

And today’s Sydney Morning Herald reveals a side of Middle Eastern (and nominally Christian) crime that people living in the Fairfield city have known of all along. And this time, it is Peter Debnam who should be worried about possible criminal elements being used to stack branches in his party.

The Assyrian Iraqi community are mainly based in the City of Fairfield. They are active in small business and in local politics. A number of Assyrians are on the Fairfield City Council.

Some Assyrians are seeking the creation of a separate Assyrian state inside Iraq. Their cause presents an added layer of sectarian tension in a nation where, since February 22, at least 20,000 people have been killed in sectarian violence.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that every community has its rotten apples. The Lebanese Muslim communities are not alone in this regard. Indeed, Assyrian gangs play a prominent part in Sydney’s Middle Eastern crime scene.

In recent times, the Religious-Right faction led by Liberal MLC David Clarke has attempted to use Assyrian churches and community organisations as a recruiting ground for branch stacking purposes. Whether Clarke is directly involved remains to be seen. But people close to Clarke have openly expressed support for the idea of a separate Assyrian homeland independent from the rest of Iraq.

It would be wrong to suggest that Assyrian Iraqis have no role to play inside any mainstream political party just because some amongst them are engaged in criminal activity. However, the fact remains that political parties represent an attractive cover for criminal elements seeking false respectability.

Yet regardless of the stacking activities of the Religious-Right faction of the NSW Liberals, the fact remains that criminal elements from within Middle Eastern communities are not limited to Muslim Lebanese. But good luck if we hear about “Christian crime gangs”.

same comancheros is also a spanish bikie gang u got it rong look at the real foundation of the word comancheros,and the media exagerates on the arabian,gangs iam from the streets and i no that half of em are girls and the real arent even arabins or middleestern

look im assyrian and assyrian gangs do exist but u cant say that all assyrians are criminals there is many aussie criminals and rapists as there are middle eastern. and by the way assyrian gangs opperated keeping alow profile the lebansese opperated on a high, thats y assyrian gangs have just been uncovered well the dangerous 1nz

yes, Many but not Most. The most notorious and Powerful Maronite Lebanese Criminals were names like Danny Karam, Louis Bayeh and Mick Kanaan who was the most Violent and Ruthless Lebanese Maronite in australian history but the fact still stands that there have been much more Powerful and Ruthless Muslim Criminals in the past 2 decades for example The Kalaches who have a reputation of being the most Violent and Brutal Crime Family in Australian history, The Safwans, the Derbas' and Dibs from Telopea Street, The Hammouds, Abbass's i can go on all day. If you take a look inside you will find that 90% of the Lebanese/middle-easterners locked up are Muslim.The same thing also happens on the outside were the Lebanese Muslims have taken Control of sydney from The Maronites an example is in the late 80s and early 90s when the DK's boys ran Kings Cross(biggest Drug and Prostitution Spot in Australia)The Two Main bosses were Maronite Danny Karam and his 2nd in command Michael Kanaan but what Some dont know is that Most of the Soldiers were Muslim they used the Muslim Lebanese Men as the Muscle of the gang because of the fact that they tended to be more Ruthless,Brutal and Violent then their fellow country men. They dont know what fear is and have zero consideration for life so their capacity to take a life at any time is unlimited which explains why even other ethnic crime gangs are afraid to do business with them due to their unpredictability and because of this from being the Muscle they have Challenged their compatriots and taken control of the Sydney Underworld and if we do not stop trying to surround them in a small corner they will explode. Yes there is a big influence of Assyrian Christian Gangs but their impact doesnt go further then Fairfield District the reason why they havent been in the spotlight as the Lebanese Muslim Crime Syndicates is because they are less Violent and Effective then the Lebanese and while they stay in their own area the Lebanese operate all around Sydney and Have made a big impact in the Sydney Underworld. Also regarding what the 2nd person has posted Yes the comancheros have originated from the spanish but the Sydney chapter has become predominantly Lebanese in recent years.

lek vato loco isseh your from the street and u come and talk bullsh*t online bubs? watta little cutie what u mean.its the spanish that actually act and look like girls and if you want me to prove it to ya ill meet ya anywhere in west sydney

- Median weekly householdincome was $152 for LebaneseMuslims, $253 for LebaneseChristians, and $302 for thepopulation as a whole.

- Looking at Australian-bornmen of Lebanese ancestry aged25 to 44, 86 per cent of Christianshave jobs compared to 72 percent of Muslims and 81 per centof all men aged 25 to 44

- In this age group 20 per cent ofLebanese Christians have degreesbut only 12 per cent of LebaneseMuslims compared to 17 per centof all men in this age group.

Given you studied law at Macquarie, you (of all people) should now realise that there is good reason why Lebanese Christians ought to be distinguished from Lebanese Muslims. In this respect, your baseless attempts to combine the two groups are completely unjustified.

which ABS publication are you reading from? since when has ABS obtained unemployment and other key economic indicators according to religion?

what's your source? name the publication as well as the year it was published.

Danny, you try to wash the maronite hands in major organised crim by claiming that the foot soldiers were more ruthless. was that because of their religion? or was it because the maronites had been here longer and knew how to escape responsibility for crimes they ordered to be committed?

I just want to say as far as immigrants are concerned why is it that these Lebanese etc are so involved in crime, drugs and organised crime? One just has to look at another groups of immigrants like indians, who do not comit any crimes, have a hard working ethic and are productive members of the community...lebanese and other arabic people need to learn from this, as history once said that Bhagdad was the world centre for learing and education.

anon, Well there is a reason why they were put on the street as Foot Soldiers and Enforcers in the first place.The pure fact that they were Animals and Fearless Blood-thirsty Killers this is not to say that The Maronite Members of the Organization were not Criminals and Evil. The reason why the Muslim Arabs were more Ruthless Violent and Fearless was because of their Experiences,Environment,Culture and Expectations. The Muslims are braught up in villages in Rural areas in the Mountains were Life is more Rough and the people have to work hard to survive and get by the day,were everybody identifies themselves with a Tribe and goes by the Tribal Laws. In these Tribes the Male is braught up to have Courage to be Manly to be able to defend their People etc. There are certain Laws in the Tribe were Manhood Respect Honour Blood Revenge plays a big role in a Muslim Mans life sp they are raised to be Lions Fearless when Violence is happening and Fearless when they have to take a life. There is a big difference between a Muslim and a Christian Male comming from the poshy areas mate

Before you sit there and judge nationalities & religions, Why dont you consider there is good and bad in all. When ever a middle eastern person steps the line, its published everywhere that he is Middle eastern. Name one time that a Australian has commited a crime and his nationality was named? no why...? The media has a big influence in publishing the Bad points of the immigrants. Why dont they one day mention the educated people who work hard,Dedicate their life to Australia! and Recognise the immigrants for building this country. At the end of the day We are all Australians & bery Proud. I my self am Assyrian & love this country, and if need be go to war today, I will be the first in line.

I am very impressed with the article and the intelligence of most of the comments. As an Anglo-Australian I find it hard to understand why other cultures behave in certain ways. Australia is isolated from world hatreds. We go to war at the request of Britain, the USA and United Nations. We are not familiar with having to fight to survive. There are no tribal rules and no fights for land. You are correct in saying that there are Lebanese criminals who are both Christian and Muslim. Ten years ago the media locked on Asian gangs, the 5T's, The Triad and others. Lebanese muslims are in the media spotlight now due to the same reason the others in the past were. They have become visible. In crime you seem to do what you want as long as you stay hidden. OIt usually seems to work in this manner. First you become visible, then you become noticed. The media start to report more stories about you. The police complain there are not enough resources and finally politicians are forced to act. It doesnt matter if you are Muslim, Christian, Lebanese or 8th generation white Australian, the moment you become visible in the greater community is the time you start to get pulled down. Laws will be written against bikie gangs soon due to their public clashes.Congratulations on all of the people who chose to speak with their brains. You give this country hope.